Top 5 Stories on Brownstoner This Week: Flatbush Gains Two Historic Districts

Affordable Housing Lottery for Wait List Has Three-Bedrooms for $48K

In an affordable housing lottery to get on a wait list for a coveted Mitchell-Lama complex in Crown Heights, three-bedroom units are priced at less than $50,000 while some studios can be had for less than $20,000.

—

A Beverley Square West House With a Porch and More to See, Starting at $849K

Our picks for open houses to check out last weekend were found in Beverley Square West, Windsor Terrace, Bay Ridge, and East Flatbush.

—

Flatbush Gets Two New Historic Districts Following Landmarks Vote

Flatbush has two new historic districts, Beverley Square West and Ditmas Park West, bringing the area’s total to five following a unanimous vote by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

At Tuesday’s meeting, all the commissioners backed the proposal, though two questioned why the districts couldn’t be extended as many locals requested. At October’s public hearing, 35 speakers supported the designations and most urged adding nearby blocks, including Westminster and Stratford roads and parts of Beverley Road. Three people opposed the plan.

—

The Big Mansion on the Corner: Crown Heights’ Schwarzmann House

The idea of a magnificent bridge to cross the East River and join Brooklyn and Manhattan was proposed by engineer John Roebling in 1852, but it took until 1869, after the Civil War, for everything to line up and work to start. Completing the bridge took more than a decade thanks to a host of setbacks and problems. It wasn’t completed until 1883 and on opening day, May 24, people were finally able to walk or ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan and back. While this ability had a great effect on both cities, Brooklyn’s development, specifically regarding neighborhoods and housing, is our topic for the day.

—

Park Slope Neo-Grec With Mantels, Interior Shutters, Wood Floors Asks $2.995 Million

Tucked between taller row houses, this Neo-Grec is just a few blocks from Grand Army Plaza. The brownstone has had some updates over the centuries, but still has some wood floors, mantels, a stair with substantial newel post, and a stair niche (aka coffin corner). At 823 Union Street, the two-family also sits across the street from the Park Slope Food Co-op.

Related Stories

• Top 5 Stories on Brownstoner This Week: Iconic Heights House Seeks Addition
• Top 5 Stories on Brownstoner This Week: Tower Proposed for Landmarked Church
• Top 5 Stories on Brownstoner This Week: Big Reuse to Open Bushwick Thrift Store

Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on X and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.